Six Months!

Six months!

Wow, where has the time gone?  6 months ago, I fulfilled my life-long dream and landed in Israel as an olah chadasha.  What a whirlwind time period!

In so many ways, I feel like I have been living here for so much longer.  With all the bureaucracy and learning how to navigate a new country and new society, and most of all a new JOB!, it just really feels like home.    Thank G-d, I have made many new friends, graduated from ulpan, and began stimulating the Israeli economy with my shekel paycheck. 

I had a Chanukah post started but visitors from the US kept me very busy, and of course, I’m also working full time and getting used to that.  Chanukah was incredible beautiful.  I can’t even describe what it’s like to live somewhere where Chanukah is the only holiday being celebrated in December.  Instead of a Christmas tree adorning my office lobby, with a small electric menorah on the side to be PC, the menorah is the star of the show, and of course nonstop sufganiyot.  The holiday decorations on the streets all reflect OUR chag!    My new friend/family member captures the flavor of Chanukah in Israel so beautifully. 

I’ve been so incredibly blessed, in every step along the way on this fabulous journey.  The new job is really going well.  Great company, nice people, challenging and interesting work.  I love having friends visit from abroad.  Skype has been amazing.  It’s not quite like being there, but it’s really the next best thing. Family and friends’ smachot are popping up, so I don’t feel like I am only missing events in the States.  I am building my life here, and thank G-d, everything that comes along with that is falling into place.

Here’s to the next six and beyond!

Shoutout to she who knows who she is (and better be reading this blog) – I did not use the word ‘amazing’ ONCE in this whole post  :)